Mississippi State University has improved its sustainability grade for 2010. Scoring a C+ on the recent GreenReportCard.com College Sustainability Report Card, the university improved an entire letter grade since last year.
The report comes from research conducted by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a nonprofit organization of research and education focused on advancing sustainability in universities.
The report is an average of grades in administration, climate change and energy, food and recycling, green building, student involvement, transportation, endowment transparency, investment priorities and shareholder engagement. MSU scored a D+ in 2009, and a D in 2008.
Sustainability, as defined by the report, involves meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Jeremiah Dumas, Starkville City Ward 5 alderman, serves as director of the Environmental Collaborative Office.
“Sustainability has a huge role at the university,” he said. “Not only do we have a responsibility toward the environment because of our large geographical footprint, but we have a responsibility to educate and showcase sustainable measures and means due to the fact that we are the land-grant institution for this state and a leading research institution in the region.”
In April 2009, President Keenum signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment which holds MSU accountable for efforts taken towards sustainability. Dumas said this was a significant event regarding the increase in the grade.
“This [was] a significant step in moving this university toward a more sustainable being,” Dumas said.
MSU scored a C in the student involvement portion of the report. The SA established an environmental affairs committee in Spring 2009. Taylor Butler serves as the codirector.
“Basically, we’re trying to get the word out that the university is trying to get the students on board with this move to sustainability. We’re trying to educate,” Butler said.
Environmental affairs has been working closely with the ECO to get the campus more involved and sustainable, he said.
As a landscape architecture student, Butler said he has learned a lot about working with the environment and using green technologies. He said before he came to school he recycled at home, but only because his mom made him.
“It’s a responsibility now rather than a burden,” he said. “I think it’s important because we’re a land-grant university.”
From the report, MSU administration received a score of B. It recognized MSU’s partnering with a sustainability firm to update its master and strategic plans.
At MVNU2MSU 2009, the move-in day experience for freshmen, about 12 tons of cardboard and paper were recycled.
“For us to become an attraction to those people that are going to work with the environment or invent alternatives to fuel, whether they be landscape architects, civil engineers or wildlife majors, we are going to have to be at the top of the list for sustainable universities,” he said. “Hopefully that will take place in the next five to 10 years. We’re getting there.”
MSU scored a C in the climate change and energy section of the report.
“Educating the people that live on and off campus to be aware of their day-to-day energy consumption is one of our goals,” Butler said. “When you have 5,000 students turning off their lights and unplugging their hair dryers, TVs, computers and microwaves, it can make a huge difference – much bigger than a few students turning their lights out.”
A score of B was given in the food and recycling section. Hormone-free dairy products are produced at MSU. and to-go containers in the dining facilities are bio-degradable. Both Perry Cafeteria and Real Food on Campus have gone trayless to reduce waste. MSU has receptacles to recycle aluminum, paper, cardboard and some plastics.
Keep It Clean: Green Gameday, Sustainable Season, is an effort to encourage Bulldog fans to be responsible for picking up tailgating trash and recycle aluminum, plastic and glass.
“Green recycling receptacles give everyone the option to recycle instead of throwing away and creating waste,” Butler said.
Energy consumption education and recycling education are important for sustainability, so environmental affairs members have tried to inform people of how easy it is to recycle in Starkville, he said.
“We’re trying to educate people about doing things like printing on two sides of the paper and making people think about the small things,” he said. “There’s a lot of paper consumed in the library. Students and teachers can make a difference; even putting stuff online helps.”
Recycling when possible is critical to sustainability, Butler said. It is not just paper; receptacles for cans are beginning to pop up around campus. He said he encourages students to be aware of the opportunities to recycle and the opportunities to conserve energy.
The university is developing a policy requiring Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver standards to be followed for all campus construction. Sustainable design concepts have been utilized over the past few years. The school has new facilities which demonstrate the concepts LEED standards though they are not certified yet. This has earned the section a grade C.
“One day in a couple of years or so, it will be set up where we will be able to monitor the energy in each building and maybe have competitions between say, Cresswell and Hathorne for their energy consumption,” Butler said. “Just be conscious of your consumption and recycle when possible.”
Transportation scored a B because of the free shuttles and bicycle program. There is a bike path running through campus and into Starkville.
“We have a beautiful campus that has the potential to be a showcase of things that can be done that not only enhance the aesthetic quality of our campus, but the environmental quality as well,” Dumas said.
A grade of C has been assigned for endowment transparency. Investment priorities gained a B, and shareholder engagement earned an F.
Student Association President Blake Jeter said the improved grade shows MSU’s progress and efforts in a movement towards sustainability.
“We’re making progress, but our mission is not over,” Jeter said. “We’re definitely moving in the right direction. It’s just going to take some time.”